


Work of a Fallen Angel

by WrestleCrazyGamer



Category: Catherine (Video Game)
Genre: Multi, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 03:41:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18327914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrestleCrazyGamer/pseuds/WrestleCrazyGamer
Summary: Gabriel L. Brooks is a love counselor. He'll find what's wrong, but you must do as he says or things can get messy. The ending you may find may not be what you want, and he doesn't take refunds.





	Work of a Fallen Angel

**_If your love feels like it’s falling apart, there is a man who you can go to for help. He will help you for a price he names, but you must follow his instructions to the letter. Do not think him an angel of love, nor should you think he is a demon of lust, for he has fallen to help humanity live on. If you die, it’s your fault for not listening..._ **

[Love or Die - Love Counseling Agency]

A high school girl with short brown hair nervously opened the large crimson double doors of the agency one Saturday afternoon. She covered her mouth coughing a bit after catching wind of cigarette smoke. Sitting behind a mahogany desk with the offending cigarette in his mouth was a pale glasses-wearing young man with shoulder-length beige hair put in a low ponytail. He was dressed in dark brown casual boots, black slacks with a red belt through the loops, and a thin black turtleneck with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She approached him and he glanced up from the book he was reading labelled “Order & Chaos”.

“Are you… Mr. Brooks…? The Angel of Love…?” she asked him.

“Let me guess… you aren’t sure if you love someone or not? Or is it that you don’t know how to confess? It’s always the same with high school kids… can’t get it through their thick heads.” he questioned her as he placed a bookmark on the page he was at.

“I’m a young bride, actually. It was arranged by my parents.” she scoffed offendedly as she showed the ring on her finger.

“Mm… that saves me a lecture I’ve repeated a hundred times. Sit and tell me what’s troubling you then.” he instructed gesturing to a crimson recliner chair the girl was certain wasn’t there a minute ago.

“Well… lately my husband has been really agitated and tired. He insists that he’s fine, but I think there might be something more. We used to be very open with each other when something is wrong or bothering us. It’s like he doesn’t trust me anymore.” she explained taking a seat in the chair.

“I trust that you already tried to talk to him before coming to me?” he asked her.

“Every time I’ve tried he’s blown me off. He’s never acted this way before. My friends said he’s probably cheating, and I’m scared...” she told him.

“Well… I can help, but what can you offer me in exchange for it?” he asked looking at her over his knuckles.

“I… I have 200 on me…” she replied nervously.

“I’ve no interest in money…” he told her as his left eye turned red.

“Y-You… you wouldn’t…?” she gasped going pale.

“Your body doesn’t excite me either…” he replied as his other eye turned to match its twin.

“W-What else do I have…?” she whimpered trembling a bit.

“My price for helping you is your inferiority complex.” he told her.

“Pardon?” she replied with a dumbfounded smile.

“You feel inferior to the housewives you see in the shopping district who are masters of their craft. You feel that you’re nothing but trouble for your husband despite your best efforts. I’ll help your relationship, and regardless of my judgment your feelings of being inferior will vanish.” he instructed as he stood from the desk and opened a drawer in the large black filing cabinet behind him that the girl was definitely sure wasn’t there a minute ago.

He pulled a black paper shikigami from the drawer proceeding to walk over and hand it to her. It gave her a feeling of dread just looking at it. Why was he giving this to her?

“Place that in his pillowcase tonight. You should see instantaneous results, but do not change your behavior from normal until instructed to do so. It’s very important that he does not know you’re in on it.” he ordered.

“This will work…?” she asked meekly.

“If you believe in your relationship.” he replied with a smile.

>10:58 PM

A slightly overweight man with messy brown hair came to with sheep horns on his head to find himself chained to a large metal block over a black chasm. He let out a high pitched scream as his eyes about left his head. He began hyperventilating when he saw ashes drop prompting him to look upward on his right side to see the love counselor sitting there casually smoking a cigarette.

“W-What the hell’s happening to me?!” the man demanded to know.

“My name is Gabriel L. Brooks, and I’m a Love Counselor. Just based on your appearance I can tell you’ve been a very dishonest husband.” he introduced himself taking another huff of his cigarette.

“The fuck does that mean?!” the horned man cried.

“It means there’s something you’re not telling your wife.” Gabriel replied.

“I don’t have to tell her shit!” he roared.

“Tell me, what did you marry her for?” Gabriel asked him.

“Till I can find someone better. My parents forced that twerp on me all because I was down on my luck at the time.” he snarled.

“Really? You never tried to make it work? Has she tried to make it work despite the arranged part of it all?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

“That kid’s damn desperate. She thinks she can just suddenly know me since we’re married.” he huffed.

“That’s exactly how relationships in general work. Knowing one another and making up for each other’s weaknesses. You don’t know if a relationships works if you never try.” Gabriel told him while tapping the ashes off his cigarette.

“Fuck you!” he roared.

“I prefer women thank you.” he smirked yanking the chains causing them to come loose dropping the man into the abyss.

“That went well.” a voice giggled behind Gabriel.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had the ‘pleasure’ of dealing with his type. You’ll have to forgive me for enjoying myself a little.” he grinned over his shoulder at Catherine.

“Don’t forget, you still owe me dinner for that favor in your last case.” Catherine winked.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll treat you after this case, how about that? I’ll take you anywhere you like.” he smiled.

“I’ll hold you to it.” Catherine beamed.

The next day the young wife came to the agency again looking worried. Her nervous demeanor brought a grin to Gabriel’s face.

“What did you do…? My husband was in a panic this morning…” she asked him.

“I looked to see if he can be changed. Nothing more.” Gabriel replied.

“What do you mean?” she asked nervously.

“I ask that you continue to play dumb with him. It takes me three days at the minimum to determine the fate ahead.” Gabriel dismissed her question.

“Please, don’t hurt him…” she pleaded.

“I wouldn’t dare touch him. Now whether someone else touches him, that is up to his decisions.” Gabriel smiled pleasantly.

Once more in the nightmarescape, the man was looking worse for wear sitting in a confession box. The other sheep backed away from Gabriel trembling as he approached him.

“You again!?” he growled.

“It’s time for meeting two. Why can’t you be happy with her? She’s kind, diligent, and beautiful to boot.” Gabriel retorted.

“I have a right to pick my woman…” he answered.

“Even if it means stagnating the continuation of the human race?” Gabriel asked.

“Who cares about that?! Why should I answer you!?” he roared.

“Are you perhaps afraid of what people will think, having such a young bride bear your child?” Gabriel continued to pressure him brushing aside his protest.

“You don’t know me!” he roared trying to throw a punch going right through him as if Gabriel were a ghost to his horror.

“So that’s the reason. What a shallow reason for avoiding it all.” Gabriel sighed lighting a cigarette.

“What the fuck are you talking about?!” the man screamed getting to his feet.

“When you passed through me I saw all that you are and all that you want to be. I’ll tell you right now, as you currently are you’ll never accomplish it. Someone who can’t love himself can never be loved by others.” Gabriel told him after taking a huff of his cigarette.

“What do you know?!” he barked on the verge of tears.

“I know a lot about accepting oneself. I suggest looking into it.” Gabriel answered before leaving through the confession box.

The next day Gabriel was cleaning when a vehicle sound came from outside. Peeking out the window he spotted a red van making him jump a little. He quickly put out his cigarette, trashed it, sprayed his breath, and then sprayed air freshener. Katherine and Vincent then entered the agency.

“Mom, dad, it’s not often you visit me at work. You caught me in the middle of cleaning the place.” Gabriel smiled hugging them.

“You’ve been really busy. The place is totally different from when you bought it. Shows that if you put your mind to it you can make anything work.” Vincent chuckled.

“Upstairs looks a little rough.” Katherine pointed out.

“I haven’t had the time to go through everything up there. Cases keep coming in taking my attention off it.” he told her.

“Oh yeah, I heard your services are quite popular among high schoolers. There was a group of them talking about your work the other day.” Vincent smiled.

“I have to keep telling them I’m not a matchmaker, I’m a love counselor for troubled relationships.” Gabriel chuckled shrugging his shoulders.

“You’ve been trying to quit smoking right?” Katherine asked him.

“Of course I have. I haven’t had a single smoke today.” Gabriel assured her with a smile.

“Really…? Since when do you use breath spray...?” Katherine raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t laugh, but I’m trying to impress this one girl I met. She hates smoking too, so I’ve been trying to double my effort to quit. I still have dragon’s breath time to time from how long I’ve been doing it so I’m trying to fix that.” Gabriel told them.

“Well, I’m glad you have a potential girlfriend. Your sister won’t be giving us any grandchildren that’s for sure.” Katherine sighed.

“I’m trying, okay?” Gabriel laughed.

“One more thing. If you’re going to lie at least hide all of the evidence?” Katherine scolded him holding up a pack of cigarettes in a black packaging bearing a relief of a demon ram making Gabriel pat his back pocket, then sigh in defeat.

“How’d you know he had that?” Vincent asked her.

“You made similar mistakes all the time while trying to hide that you’re smoking. You learn to check for these things.” Katherine smiled.

“I do kind of need those back though… the packaging is recyclable.” Gabriel smiled nervously.

“Promise me you’ll make a stronger effort to quit.” Katherine winked.

“All right, I promise I’ll do a better job.” he laughed.

“At what?” she stuck her tongue out.

“A better job trying to quit smoking.” he smiled and she handed it back to him.

“I’m proud of you, Gabriel. You’re working the job you wanted to have back in high school and you’re successful at it.” Katherine told him.

“We both love you.” Vincent smiled.

“I love you too.” Gabriel beamed happily.

When they left a whistle made Gabriel jump. Sitting on the second floor railing was Catherine, with an amused smile on her face. She hopped down and landed soft as a feather.

“It’s still working hours.” Gabriel told her.

“Don’t be that way, you had the time to chat with family.” Catherine giggled.

“Family is different from horny coworkers.” Gabriel told her bluntly.

“Meanie. I’m not always horny.” Catherine pouted.

“It seems that whenever you come see me you are. It’s never business or just to talk.” Gabriel scoffed as he resumed cleaning.

“That’s not true, I asked you on a date last time.” Catherine pouted.

“Yeah, after using crocodile tears to make me feel bad.” Gabriel pointed out.

“You act like you can suffer the nightmares if you have a little fun with me...” Catherine puffed her cheeks in frustration.

“I put nothing past you.” Gabriel replied making her jump on his back.

“Why are you able to resist my whiles?!” she whined pounding his back like a child.

“I can resist you because you’re a succubus who picks relationships apart and therefore can never match what I want in a woman.” Gabriel told her making her drop off of him.

“Drat, I forgot… you want a married relationship with a loyal woman…” Catherine huffed dismissively.

“That’s right. I’ll take you out for drinks as promised but I won’t sleep with you until marriage.” Gabriel smiled calmly.

“Good luck finding another girl with the same morals…” she scowled.

“It’s easier than you’d think.” he told her.

Night came again and Gabriel noticed a lack of his client. He then noticed a chain off the side of the platform. Looking down he spotted the client struggling tangled up in the chain. He hopped to the chain and slid down it to him making the man look up at Gabriel giving an infuriated growl.

“Not often someone pushes another off the edge. Who’d you start a fight with?” Gabriel asked him.

“Fuck you!” he screamed still trying to get free.

“You really are resistant to change. If you don’t change things might get dicey.” Gabriel commented as he tugged the chain making it begin lifting them back to safety.

“Why should I change?!” he roared as Gabriel pulled him onto the platform and untangled him.

“Simple. You’re proving yourself unworthy of continuing mankind’s legacy. You’re so concerned with your own desires you aren’t thinking of who it’s hurting.” Gabriel answered remaining calm.

“Are you talking about that little bitch?! She tries to act like she knows me when she doesn’t know shit about me! It was an arranged marriage I didn’t want! That bitch can die for all I care!” he screamed trying to punch Gabriel again falling through him just as last time.

“Is that right…?” Gabriel asked as his calm demeanor suddenly became very angry turning his eyes red.

“Why should I put effort into something that was thrust on me?!” he roared and suddenly Gabriel punched his jaw knocking him over causing his lip to bleed.

“Strike three. The Judgment Game must now be played.” Gabriel told him making the sheep flee to the other side of platform trembling with fear.

“The what?” he asked as Gabriel rose off the floor with large wings of black plumage growing from his back.

A heavenly light shone down on Gabriel as he summoned a deck of tarot cards. He threw the deck to his side and it scattered forming five rows around him. The cards then turned to show demon rams and a single angel card in the bunch. The man began to cry as the cards scattered floating above the floor in columns showing their face. He sunk to his knees seeing the fallen angel before him.

“The Judgment Game decides whether love is dead or not. Pick a demon card, and you will receive the bad ending. Pick the angel card, and you will be given one chance to redeem yourself and get the good ending. Your answers to my questions have affected your odds of being given a chance to redeem yourself. Memorize which ones are an angel and try not to lose track of them.” Gabriel explained.

He snapped his fingers and the cards became face down beginning to shuffle on the floor. After a minute of shuffling the cards remained in five columns. The man believed he’d kept his eye on the angel card the entire time. With trembling hands he reached for his card and flipped it… revealing a demon ram. All of the cards then flipped over revealing the angel card one row up from his selection. Panic began to flow through the man as he looked to Gabriel who gave a saddened expression.

“You were close to salvation… but you did not fully repent for your actions. The Judgment Game reads your heart during the game as well. If you were going to commit to change, you would have been playing a simple game of odds.” Gabriel explained to the man as he wrapped his wings around him making everything go black.

>3:45 AM

The young bride stirred from sleep to find the alarm clock still going, but no sign of her husband. She snoozed it and decided to get started for the day. In the living room she found a note on the coffee table. When she read it tears began streaming down her face as an ambulance went by. She hurried to get dressed and ran full speed out of the house toward where the sirens were wailing. A crowd had gathered around a building with a statue of a sword-wielding angel out from. She pushed through them and let out a horrified scream falling to her knees seeing her husband impaled on the sword after having jumped off the building’s roof. At the back of the crowd were Catherine and Gabriel as it began to rain.

“A shame. At the very end he really wanted to change.” Catherine sighed.

“The Judgment Game determines fate by reading your heart. If you truly want to change then you can. If you don’t, then this fate is what lies in store.” Gabriel told her.

“So you really didn’t change the cards at the last second?” Catherine asked him.

“I did nothing of the sort. The cards simply changed what their face value was. They are a representation of the heart’s desires and are as fickle as the real thing.” Gabriel shook his head.

“I’m curious now, how do you collect payment?” Catherine asked him.

“I already have.” he answered showing a pair of gold wedding rings in the palm of his hand.

“Their rings?” Catherine raised an eyebrow.

“The representation of her inferiority complex. Being forced to marry instead of finding a lover naturally shook her confidence whether it was the parents’ intentions or not. By taking them away, I take away her inferiority complex. Fate has determined this is what is best for her and humanity, no matter how sad it is.” Gabriel explained as he began to leave the scene.

“So the representations are what make the green for you? Isn’t that technically thievery?” Catherine asked him.

“I don’t get my money from the human world. I trade in the representation’s spiritual value for human world money in the spirit world. It’s way more lucrative than you’d think. Once I cash out you’re getting your date having drinks, as promised.” he answered her.

“Maybe you aren’t such a bad guy after all.” Catherine giggled.

“I’m not good or evil. My job is to help humanity progress, which is why you and Boss are my coworkers.” Gabriel told her.

The next week at the agency the widowed girl entered. She looked to be worse for wear making Gabriel catch her as she fell forward. He hurried to help her sit down and began boiling water.

“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked her.

“I haven’t been since… he died…” she answered.

“I see. I’m sorry for your loss.” Gabriel told her as he placed a cup of tea before her.

“Thank you for the tea…” she sniffled taking a sip.

“Things must have been hard this past week.” Gabriel consoled her.

“I haven’t had the strength to even go to school lately… everyone just says the same things to me…” she confessed to him.

“You really tried to make it work.” Gabriel sighed.

“I did… and everyone is making me feel like it’s my fault by saying I did nothing wrong…” she nodded shedding a tear taking another sip of her tea.

“Well, the reality of it is there’s no one at fault but the man himself for committing the act. It pushed a lot of unnecessary stress and sadness onto you.” Gabriel told her.

“Everyone was pitying him… saying something was wrong...” she sniffled with a puzzled look.

“If you consider this ‘something was wrong’ I’d doubt the sincerity of their character.” Gabriel told her placing several pictures of her late husband with many different women.

“How did you get these…?” she gasped starting to tear up more.

“I know this isn’t the time to show you these, but I personally believe it will help you move on. You’ll find someone that deserves your love someday.” Gabriel sighed.

“Did you… did you make him do it…?” she asked while trembling.

“No. I only told him that he was blind to the wonderful woman he already had. It must have been the guilt once he saw the light. You’re a very good woman.” Gabriel answered.

“He… he really… didn’t want to be with me… did he…? That was all I had left...” she smiled weakly.

“You’re on your own?” Gabriel asked her.

“My parents arranged it because they wanted to be rid of me… we didn’t get along…” she nodded.

“I’ll tell you what. I’m looking for a part-time helper. A receptionist, if you will. Sometimes I have to go out for long periods so there’s no one here to schedule appointments. I’ve had no luck finding any applicants though. The job is yours if you want it.” Gabriel smiled.

“Thank you… a job is exactly what I need.” she smiled through her tears.

“Forgive me, but what is your name?” Gabriel asked her.

“Jamie. Jamie Sandow.” she answered.


End file.
